In Dire Need of a Title
by Wannabe-Pilot
Summary: Roughly based on the idea of Beauty and the Beast. This is a work in progress and any comments would be greatly appreciated. Rated with extreme caution and readable for ages 12 and up. Also if anyone has any ideas for a title, that would be fantastic.
1. Chapter 1

I'm not going to lie. I've always hated the stories that began with the tired cliché of "once upon a time" or "in a land far, far away". Typically these are the beginnings of fairy tales. Stories in which good triumphs over evil, the prince marries the princess and everyone lives happily ever after. However these happy ending don't exactly apply to everyone. Evil stepmothers and cantankerous old necromancers tend to get gypped for one. And I don't think that the wolf that ate Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother lived happily ever after at all.

Rather than telling you a nice pretty story with a perfect ending, I am going to tell a tale of adventure gone wrong. Weave a yarn that will make your blood run cold and the hairs on your neck tingle. This is the story of Beauty and the Beast, back when the Beast was truly a beast.

It began as any summer night. One of Anne's friends owned a cabin down by the lakeside (or her parents did anyways) so it was only natural that she would be holding a party. At first it was a quiet affair but more and more people showed up as the night went on. Some idiot had thought it would be hilarious to invite all of the Grade 9s and many of them were having difficulty holding their drinks. Spilt beer and cigarette smoke lent a sticky aura to the stifling heat of the tiny cabin. Ducking under the lanky arms of the weird guy who had dropped out last year and thought that his half-ass imitation of a dead rap artist was a huge turn on, she thought she might be able to make out the front door through the haze. Weaving through the throng of bodies moving mindlessly to the repetitive beat; Anne made a break for the door and fresh air.

Silvery moonbeams from a crescent moon danced merrily on the water's surface. A warm breeze rustled tree branches invitingly, calling to Anne's very soul. Drawn by the simple beauty she ventured farther and farther until the dull thumbing of the beat faded and only the gentle lapping of the water and the arrhythmic chirping of insects was left. A mischievous thought flitted through her mind and she stole a surreptitious glance at her surrounding. Finding no prying eyes hidden behind the bushes, she kicked off her shoes and hooked her flowered dress over a nearby tree branch.

Mud squished satisfying through her toes as she pushed off from the riverbank. Smooth movements carried her quickly from the shore and she reveled in the cool caress of the lake. Reluctantly she returned to shore and clambered back onto the slippery bank. Cursing her lack of a towel she wrung out her hair as best as she could before reaching for her abandoned clothing.

"Nice view" a voice drawled from the shadows.

Enraged at this unwelcome intrusion she whirled around and snapped back irritably "Wish I could say the same", clumsily fumbling with the icy fingers at the tiny buttons of her dress.

The owner of the deep voice shoved himself to his feet from behind the mountain ash. The clusters of berries shed strange shadows on his face, hiding his eyes from Anne's searching gaze. An arrogant smile revealed gleaming white teeth surrounded by tanned skin. He sauntered forward, eyes shamelessly lingering on the pale skin revealed by still-undone buttons.

Flushing uncomfortably, she turned all her attention to her dress and only looked up when she felt his breath on her cheek. Up close she could see that his features were ruggedly chiseled. He smelled of wood smoke and something she couldn't pin down, something feral. Instinctive steps backwards caused her to trip over a protruding tree root and almost fall back into lake she'd just left.

Lightning quick, a muscular arm flashed out and grabbed her around the waist. Effortlessly dangling her over the bank of the river, he tilted his head back and laughed; a sound that was disturbingly predatory. "Leaving so soon?"

"I do hate to disappoint you but my friend is expecting me back to help with the pizza." She smiled sweetly and turned back towards the house.

"What if I told you that your "friend" was in the upstairs bedroom and pizza was the last thing on her mind? I'd say that you'd be the one ending up disappointed, now wouldn't you princess?" An icy shiver wracked Anne's body and she quickly whirled around to hide her uneasiness.

"I'd say you were lying." Matter-of-factly. She refused to let him see she was scared, to let him know just how uncomfortable he made her feel. It was impossible to pinpoint but there was something about this man that terrified her.

"You think I'd lie to a beautiful stranger? I'm hurt. Good thing this is all hypothetical then." His egotistical smile and condescending sarcasm made her blood boil. All her willpower was concentrated into holding back both her snappy remarks and her hand. This was not someone that would allow anyone to lay a finger on them without a damn good reason. And anyone who did wouldn't enjoy the results.

"Ooh the pussy has claws." No amount of willpower could prevent her from forming her long fingers into tight fists. Glancing down at her white knuckles even she had to admit they weren't very intimidating. Her fingers were more accustomed to holding a paintbrush or caressing the keys of a piano than to being wielded as weapons. But there was only so much taunting Anne could take before her temper took over.

"Now you listen here…" She began angrily.

"No sweetheart, how about you do the listening." He leaned forward menacingly and grabbed her by the elbow. "We are going to walk away quietly. No running, no screaming." The chill of the night air combined with the realization of danger suddenly struck Anne and she began to tremble like a leaf. The man sarcastically held out his arm for her and she grasped it, grateful for any means of support.

"W-what are you doing?" Cursing her own clumsy tongue she looked up at the impassive face of the strange man who was ushering her away from the lake side.

"Oh we're just going for a nice little walk. Don't worry, I won't hurt you." A casual passerby would have taken them as a lovelorn couple, so casual were the tones of his voice. There was not hint of a threat in his voice or manner but he still held tightly to her elbow. Quick darting glances revealed no drunken partygoer hiding in the bushes, just waiting to spring out at her and yell "Surprise!" They were completely alone. Anne looked the stranger up and down and was dismayed to find him unusually muscular. Usually this was a trait that would not have gone unappreciated but in these particular circumstances it meant that her chances of outrunning him were slim.

Some sort of a plan was necessary but she couldn't come up with anything. Thoughts of murder and rape flashed through her mind leaving no room for planning. She could picture herself dying here in these woods, alone—all because she wanted to go for a swim. Such a small choice and such a stupid one.

Almost as if he could read the thoughts running around in her brain, the man slowed down and came to a stop in a small clearing. Anne couldn't even begin to guess how long they had been walking. He had been walking at least. She had been dragged almost every step of the way, willing her legs to carry her away from this macabre moonlit walk.

As if in response to her silent prayers he released her arm and sat down on a moss-covered tree stump. Placing his chin on his hand he looked up at her slender form silhouetted in the dim light. Shadows highlighted a round face framed by damp, tangled locks of long brown hair. Despite her bedraggled appearance and the fear in her eyes, he couldn't help but think she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Then she turned and ran.

He stood there in shock as her feet pounded the ground, taking her as far away from him as she could manage in a short time. Blood sang in her veins, exhilarated at the prospect of freedom. Her spirits lifted she began to run faster and faster, ducking and weaving through the interlocking tree branches. A brief glance behind told her she wasn't being followed. Slowing to a quick jog she searched for an indication of where she had come from. Running further from civilization would have been pointless. Peering through the forest she thought she could see some semblance of a trail.

It seemed to be an old animal trail but there was at least a slim chance that it would lead back to the lake. Now the only problem was which way to go. Direction finding had never been Anne's strong point. Hers had been the only Girl Guide troupe to get lost on the compass course. They had had to send a leader after them. The possibility of pursuit ruled out any long term planning. As detrimental to her goal as it would be, even being lost would be better than being in the company of a madman.

A frantic game of eeny-meeney-miney-moe indicated that the left branch of the trail was the preferred option so off she went. The thin path allowed her to resume her previous tempo and soon she launched herself back into an adrenaline-fuelled sprint. Hours could have passed or it could have been only minutes. Time became irrelevant with nothing to measure it against. Vanity had caused her to leave behind both her old watch and to choose decorative footwear.

Sandals were not designed for madcap sprints through the woods and Anne's feet were beginning to remind her of the unhappy fact. Soon she began to notice a pointed thickening in the woods. The trail dwindled away until every step was a battle with the trees. On the bright side at least she would be able to hear anyone coming after her. Slowing down to a walk she took a moment to breathe, her head down against her chest for a few moments.

The pounding of her heart was audible now, eclipsed only by her gasps for breath. Leaning against a tree she closed her eyes in an attempt to block out the bizarreness of the evening. Rough tree bark felt comforting under her fingertips; a reminder that she was still awake. Suddenly her nostrils were assaulted with a disturbingly familiar feral smell and warm hands clasped themselves about her tiny waist. Eyelids snapped open frantically to find the madman she had escaped from resting his chin on her shoulder.

Throwing off his embrace she whirled around to find a new escape route. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as she could see a low hanging tree branch aimed right at her forehead. Pain blossomed throughout her body as she crumpled to the forest floor. The approaching darkness seemed to welcome her with open arms and swallowed her whole.


	2. Chapter 2

Awakening was quite possibly the least pleasant experience of Anne's relatively short life. Every bone in her body ached and her muscles were screaming from the grueling run she had inflicted upon them yesterday. However all of this dimmed in importance compared to the fact she had nary a clue as to where she had awoken. Sunlight aggravated the dull, throbbing pain centered on the crown of her head so she assumed it was around midday. The room itself was not unpleasant she mused fuzzily. It seemed to be set up as an old-fashioned lady's room, complete with washstand and basin.

Memories of the past evening did not as much flood over as her as they did metamorphosize from dreams to reality. Tentatively, she swung her feet off the side of the bed and aimed herself towards a large wooden door located on the opposite half of the room. A whole two steps passed before she collapsed in a heap on the cool floor. Absent mindedly she noticed that the wooden surface of the floor had been polished by many years of use and was smooth to the touch. Unable to move, a prisoner in her own body, Anne began to wonder about the owner of this room. Was she an elderly lady? If so, how had she managed to get Anne from out in the woods to lying in a four-poster bed?

In the back of her mind, Anne knew that the man from the previous evening would be coming back. There was no way that he would have left without his prize. His manner exuded confidence and a need for success. Leaving her behind would have constitutes as failure, something Anne was sure that he would never have accepted. So she wasn't particularly surprised when the door creaked open to reveal his smirking face.

"Now don't you just look so comfortable?"

If looks could kill he would have dropped right then and there. Anne closed her eyes and reveled in the thought for a few brief seconds before she was dragged back to reality by a rough shake of her shoulder. The sudden movement caused fire to shoot through her skull and she reluctantly opened her eyes again. He was disturbingly close as he lifted her off the floor and tucked her back into bed. The gentleness of his hands as he tucked the light sheets around her seemed at odds with the cruelty in his eyes. Each movement was accompanied with a lancing pain and he seemed to be drinking in her suffering.

"Maybe you'll think twice about running through the woods now won't you princess? You know, that really wasn't a very smart thing to do. You gave yourself quite a bump." He looked at her reproachfully. "I said I wasn't going to hurt you."

"Why the hell would I believe you?" She exploded, all common sense lost to her fury. "Yeah, I'm definitely going to take the word of some freak who decides to grab my arm and drag me half-way across the woods. 100%, no problem at all. Tell me, would you like to know my deepest darkest secrets too? Shall I write them out or would you like to hear them for yourself." Sarcasm was quickly to hysterics and the pitch of her voice rose until she was almost screaming.

Seemingly untouched by the sight of a hysterical woman he replied calmly. "Don't bother to write. It's so much better to hear everything straight from your lips."

Anne broke into tears as he walked out of the room. She could hear the sound of a lock falling into place followed by his footsteps slowly fading. Trapped and chilled to the bone by his words. Somehow it didn't seem like he was being sarcastic. Slowly her disbelief and fear turned to anger. Who did he think he was to take her from the lakeside?

Determined to get out and demand to get home she slid out from the bed and sat down on the floor. Waiting until her head stopped spinning she proceeded to make her way over to the dusty lace curtains. Pulling them back revealed a set of patio door leading out to a small verandah. Exhilarated at the nearness of freedom she tugged on the rusty handle and slowly maneuvered the stiff door open. Hopes came crashing down as she realized that the verandah was easily a hundred feet off the ground.

Feeling some a heroine out of an old mystery novel she slowly crept back inside and removed the sheets off the bed. No sooner had she tied the two sheets together, she sat down with the realization of just how idiotic this truly was. Not even tied diagonally were the sheets even remotely long enough to reach the ground. And if they were, was she really going to trust her entire weight to a set of bed sheets tied inexpertly to a rusty patio railing. Why didn't she just talk to him? The chances of him being some kind of psychotic rapist or murderer were infinitely slim.

Mind made up she marched determinedly to the door and tried the handle. Ok, it was locked. Maybe he had guard dogs or something and didn't want her wandering around. Anything was possible. Sitting on the bed she dreamed up excuses for his irrational behavior. Absorbed completely in her thoughts she nearly fell of the bed when the door creaked open to reveal him standing in the doorway. A single glance was enough to shatter all of her concocted stories. Screw statistics and probability. It may have been a one in a million chance but she had stumbled upon an honest-to-god madman.

His piercing gaze took in both the tears stains on her face and the pile of sheets at her feet and he broke out into a deep guttural laugh. "You were going to tie the bed sheets to the balcony to escape?" He could barely choke out the words he was laughing so hard. As disturbing as it was, Anne found his laugh to be strangely infectious and she soon found herself giggling along with him. Wiping her streaming eyes on the back of her hand she held out the other hand and introduced herself.

"I'm Anne."

Rather than shaking her hand as she had been expecting, he brought it up to his lips and kissed the back gently. "A pleasure to meet you my dear, dinner will be in half an hour if you are interested."

Stammering an acceptance, Anne gazed in wonder at the charismatic gentleman that had replaced the psychotic madman of the night before. Wondering how on earth she could have ever been afraid of him she watched him walk out of the room, blatantly admiring the tightening of his muscles. Suddenly he turned around and looked at her sharply.

"I would suggest that you don't try to escape again. I would be ever so disappointed." The words were silky smooth yet held the promise of a threat if disobedience became even a thought.

Anne stared after him in shock, all thoughts of rippling biceps completely overshadowed by abject terror. Imagine switching the light switch on and off; dark, light and then dark again. The difference between light and dark was insignificant compared to the change in the man. She would say that black and white were the same colour before she would have claimed that the man who had laughed at her escape attempt and the man who had just uttered the veiled threat were one and the same.

Nervously fingering the tiny silver pendant that hung around her neck, Anne was reminded of her grandmother who had given both the pendant and chain to Anne for her seventeenth birthday last fall. The elderly lady had told her that it was an image of Raphael the Archangel, patron saint of youth and love. Any spiritual significance had been completely lost the skeptical Anne, but the sheer force of her grandmother's personality had made the pendant a source of comfort. Several of Anne's friends had noticed her habit of plucking at the thin chain whenever she was distracted or thinking and Anne had started to associate focusing with the necklace. And right now she really needed to focus.

It was only a matter of time before he came back. She had to deal with the situation in a calm and rational matter. Concentrating was so hard though. Her mind kept drifting off, thinking of everything but the bizarre situation that she found herself in. Two weeks ago she had written her final exams and the statistics from her stupid life management course kept running through her head. She laughed bitterly. Some preparation that had been, nowhere in the course did it provide instructions on what to do when kidnapped by a madman. Maybe that had been the class she missed when she had the flu. What a pity…

This was just ridiculous. Sarcasm was going to get her nowhere. Everything was going to work out just fine. A treacherous voice piped up unbidden back of her mind reminding her of the threat in his voice, of the way he looked at her. Nothing was going to be ok ever again. Determined to drown out the traitorous voice, Anne jumped up off the bed and started to sing loudly and off key as she spun around the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: I am off to flight school for the summer. More writing will commence in September. Thanks for everyone's comments and suggestions, they are much appreciated. Have a wicked summer everyone!!!**

Chapter 3

Matthias approached the door warily, not willing to terrify his new companion any more than absolutely necessary. The sight that met his eyes was one of the strangest he had seen in the many years he had walked the face of this planet. He had seen creatures appear upon the earth only to fade away in time, watched the evolution of a horseless carriage and stared on in bemusement at an entire generation who thought bellbottoms were cool. But never before had he come across a girl spinning around in circles and singing "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" at the very top of her lungs. He cleared his throat loudly to catch her attention.

Anne stumbled and the words caught in her throat. Impulsively she tucked her hair behind her ears before clasping her hands tightly in front of her. A sheepish giggle crept out between her lips like a little girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "Ummm… Dinner time?" she asked quickly, hoping to distract him.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Matthias waved a hand at Anne to follow him as he took off down the hall. Having to break into a light jog to keep up with his long strides, Anne was nearly out of breath by the time they reached what appeared to be a very elaborate dining hall. There were two place settings at the very end of the table, set crookedly as if by someone who was unused to bothering with pleasantries of any sort. Jumbled napkins or not, the aroma that was emanating from the pot set on the table was enough to make Anne's mouth water.

Noticing her eagerness, Matthias pulled out one of the heavy wooden chairs and motioned for Anne to take a seat. Puzzled by his smooth attempts at gallantry, she could not help but sit. Whatever the reason, he seemed to be in a charitable enough mood and it was probably best to keep him that way. She reached for the long-handled serving spoon in order to dish out stew onto both plates but withdrew her hand at the disproving glare of her host. With an almost exaggerated sense of care and grace he ladled out the stew without spilling a single drop on the wrinkled, yet pristine tablecloth.

Dinner passed in silence after Anne murmured quiet thanks for the meal. When all the dishes had been scraped clean by the ravenous pair Mathias stood up and put them all on a wooden tray that had apparently been stashed under the table. Carrying the tray in both hands he began to walk towards yet another set of heavy doors at the end of the dining room. Deciding that following him was her best option, Anne quickly leapt to her feet and took off after the rapidly retreating figure.

"If you don't mind me asking, where exactly are we?" Asked Anne timidly. She wanted to know but was unwilling to risk flicking the switch again. There was just something about this man that terrified her and she would really rather not annoy him. The food in his belly seemed to have put him in a good mood though and he was quick to answer her question with extreme enthusiasm.

"Well if you want to start from a broad perspective we are in a house. In a forest somewhat near a lake as you might remember. Currently we are walking down a hallway towards my library where we will sit in front of a fire and I will answer every single question you could possible think of. Until then I ask you to exercise your patience and wait, we are only a few moments away."

Bursting with thousands of questions, Anne started to compose a mental list of everything she wanted to ask while he was in a good mood. Of course there were the basics such as who the hell are you, where are we, what am I doing here and can I go home yet. Perhaps those could be phrased slightly more tactfully though. Demanding an explanation for the events of the past day, or was it two she'd have to ask that too, would make her feel a lot better but might also infuriate him. The best solution was probably to start off slow and then work towards getting home.

So preoccupied with her growing list of queries, Anne didn't even notice that they had made their way to the library until they had reached the end of the rambling hallway and found a door quite similar to that of the room she had woken up in earlier that day. Rather than having an iron doorknob with a sturdy lock, this door had no handle at all and was elaborately carved with a hunting scene. It almost seemed as if it were designed to be open by a person whose arms were full of books while still sending a message of intimidation and grandeur. Portrayed on the door was a man on a horse with a pack of slavering dogs, surrounding a terrified doe. At the moment, Anne felt more akin to the doe than to the strange man next to her.

Pushing open the door with one hand, Mathias clasped Anne's arm gently with the other and dragged her into the library. Anne let out an astonished gasp at the sheer magnitude of the library. Bookshelves stretched for rows upon rows, filled to bursting with leather-bound tomes and cheap mass market paperbacks alike. At the far end of the room was the promised fire, crackling merrily. Placed conveniently in front of the fire was a pair of overstuffed armchairs, that seem to be designed entirely for disappearing into, and a small end table covered in books and a long-forgotten teaspoon.

The room looked lie a sanctuary, or a lair. There was a cozy ambience, despite the enormous size, that was only enhanced by the warmth of the flames. Despite being warm enough to go swimming the night of the party, inside the temperature was significantly lower and Anne was quite grateful for the added heat. Mathias settled himself into the armchair closest to the fire and looked up at her expectantly. Sitting down in the opposite chair, she was immediately swallowed by the possessive embrace of the faded red fabric. Extracting herself from the padded grip of the chair, Anne folded her feet underneath herself and tugged at the hem of her dress until she felt less vulnerable and exposed.

Seconds stretched into minutes filled only by the sound of the fire. This was not a companionable silence; it was the silence of a predator stalking its prey. Finally Mathias spoke up from the depths of his chair, eyes focused entirely on the pattern of the firelight playing on the wall. With a deep sigh he began to recount his story.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Sorry it took so long to update. I am no longer a wannabe pilot. I am the real deal!!! The next few chapters will follow shortly. **

"Although I'm sure that you would prefer for everything to be as simple as it seems, I am also quite certain that you have already learned otherwise." Flickering shadows played across his face, making him look inhuman and menacing. The voice that intoned from the depths of the chair was the dull monotone of someone who has told a story many times before and has grown weary with it. "I could simply say I was young and foolish but that would be a bald lie even by my standards. Even knowing the consequences I would do it all again. The rewards are far more tempting than any price."

A growing uneasiness filled Anne as she felt herself beings drawn into his tale. There was a sort of mesmerizing horror to his voice that she could not block out. Try as she might to ignore him, Anne could not help but listen attentively. Noting the alertness of his captive audience, Matthias laughed grimly. "Caught your attention now, haven't I? It must be part of human nature to be fascinated by a dark tale. It must feel so empowering to read about the horrors of the world while knowing that you are safe in your nice, warm house. I hate to burst your bubble, but you are no longer a passive reader. Congratulations princess, you've become a character" With that chilling statement he launched into an epic of his own.

"This particular tale begins neither far away nor a long time ago. You see that is such a careless way to tell a story. Both time and distance are based entirely on perspective. What you may see as your entire lifetime may only a short period of time to me. As for distance it was not so long ago that people could live and die while never leaving their hometowns. Now people traipse across the world in planes. But ignoring all of the technicalities, regardless of perspective most would still consider this story to occur quite close to home. For many it was their home."

Anne wasn't quite sure what to say so she simply said nothing. He seemed to be caught up in his philosophical musings and as such, far too busy to get angry with her. Almost as if he felt a need to fill the silence, Mathias began to talk again, his deep voice weaving a ghastly image in the fire lit library.

"My parents never denied me anything. My mother was a foolish woman who thought it easiest to raise a child by simply supplying whatever they needed. It was a matter of personal pride for my father that I never want for anything. His was an old family with a proud lineage and he would not show poor breeding by indulging in displays of stinginess or thrift. However, by the time I was in my late teens I had discovered a powerful hunger for more. No material belongings could satisfy my craving for raw power. I needed to be in control. Any idiot could see that I possessed both the intelligence and the skills to succeed at any venture I put my hand to.

Slowly I began to build a name for myself in the town. Although the practice of bartering over petty trade prices held very little fascination for me I realized that taking an interest in the family mining business would provide an outlet that I could use to grow and escape the confines of my small town. I would accompany my father on his business meetings and ingratiate myself with his customers. The familial pride with which my father carried himself seemed to grate in the senses of many of the men he worked with. They knew that they were an inferior breed of human and could not stand to face the reality of the situation. Everything he did that annoyed them, I was sure not to mimic.

Soon it became apparent to me that my father was more of a hindrance than a help when it came to operating the family business. He was too kind to the miners and gave in to far too many of their whiny demands. A sensible businessman would have realized that it was far cheaper to buy silence than to completely overhaul the mining equipment every six months. Maintenance meant time and time was money. Far too often people misuse that phrase without really understanding how true it is. Look at the banking system in place today. Even the most paltry interest rate will provide a handsome return if only you have the time to wait. Put a dollar in the bank today and you can be a millionaire in time.

Yet waiting for years to reap the rewards of my hard work just did not fit. It irked me that everything I wanted was within an arms reach. All I had to do was eliminate a few obstacles. My father was one of those obstacles."

Unable to restrain herself, Anne let out a small gasp of horror and surprise. Yanked out of his grotesque reminiscences Mathias turned to look at his terrified guest.

"Oh come on now. It's not that bad. If you are repulsed by me now, I can't wait to see the look on your pretty little face when you hear the worst of it. My father was an old man and had lived a relatively long and successful life. He was not being chopped down in the prime of his life. He had outlived his usefulness and the time had come for him to be replaced. There is no thrill in extinguishing a spark that has barely been smoldering for years. The true adrenaline rush only comes from having the power over life and death. Knowing that without your intervention life will continue uninterrupted. That is the ultimate fulfillment of man's role as a hunter"

How on Earth was Anne supposed to react. She was torn between disbelief, horror and disgust. On the one hand there is not possible way that he could be telling the truth. There hadn't been any mining in the area for over sixty years and there was no way the man in front of her was in his seventies. At the most he could be in his mid twenties. His hair showed no signs of graying and no wrinkles lined his eyes or mouth. On the other, it was quite apparent that he was not in his right mind. All this talk of having power over life and death and extinguishing the spark was nothing more than that, just talk. Despite her frantic rationalizations Anne was becoming more and more frightened with every word that he said.

Mathias seemed to take extreme pleasure out of his prisoner's confusion. This was his favorite part of the whole rigmarole. Eventually he would begin to fall in love with the girl but until then he was truly enjoying taunting her. It was almost like a test. How much could she stand before she broke down. There was a tiny part of him that still hoped that she would not break down, that she would be strong enough to withstand his affections, but that was almost entirely drowned out by the part of him that was screaming for her blood. He was currently debating if he wold rather spring everything on her now just to see her reaction or whether to hold off and savor her sweet fear.

An enveloping silence fell over the room so that even the sounds of the fire seemed to be coming from far away. Mathias was drinking in the terror emanating from Anne's overstuffed chair while Anne was quickly formulating an escape plan. Obviously running away was out of the question seeing as he had managed to cut her off so quickly the other night in the forest. Taken aback Anne realized that only last night she had been partying with her friends and celebrating the end of the school year. Astonished that so much had happened in the previous twenty-four hours Anne began to shake uncontrollably. Unable to collect herself, a tear crept out of the corner of her eye quickly followed by another and another until she was sobbing violently.

A pair of arms wrapped around her and lifted Anne out of her seat. Automatically she leaned back for comfort before realization caught up with her and she flailed out with arms and legs, trying to escape his grasp. The arms tightened around her like a straitjacket, preventing her escape. "Tsk tsk princess. What did I tell you about trying to escape? Come now, off to bed with you. We'll see what to do with you tomorrow."

Without another word Mathias carried Anne back down the series of winding corridors to the bedroom where she had woken up earlier that day. Her attempts at pleading and anger alike were cut short but a raised eyebrow and questioning smile. Sagging into his arms, Anne was forced to acknowledge that there were many things that she would simply rather not know.

Later that evening as she lay carefully tucked under the soft, heavy blankets that covered the four-poster bed, Anne's mind was racing. The exhaustion that had receded so slowly throughout the afternoon had come back with a vengeance and she was having a difficult time thinking straight. Drifting in and out of sleep she could hear Mathias' voice whispering in her ear telling her how man was supposed to be a hunter and how it was his duty to weed out the weak and the sick. Nightmares dogged her fitful sleep until she finally welcomed the silent darkness and its apparent absence of monsters.


	5. Chapter 5

The majority of Anne's days were occupied with finding some sort of escape plan. There was something seriously wrong with Mathias and she didn't particularly feel like hanging around to pick up any more details. Dredging up her memories of every mystery and suspense book she had ever read in her life, Anne began to compose a plan. By the third day the plotting process was as natural as breathing. As soon as she woke up she walked over to the washbasin and brushed her teeth as she began the prep for that day's escape plan. After the balcony incident of the first morning she knew that there were some things that were better left to the movies if she wanted to stay in one piece. So a daring escape involving rooftop jumps and blazing guns was probably out.

However, there was quite a selection of other plans to be tested and so Anne went about her scheming with a vengeance. Unfortunately Mathias seemed to be at least two steps ahead of her every time. If she tried to sneak through the front doors he was leaning against the front step. If she tried to run through the woods he would suddenly appear, jogging by her side. If she crawled through the windows he was there to catch her before she hit the ground. Nothing she did was ever good enough. Restricted to her bedroom, the dining room and the library, Anne began to feel her imprisonment more keenly with every foiled attempt.

One evening, as they were sitting in the library, Anne leapt out of her chair and began to pace by the fire. Curious as to the reason for the agitation of his guest Mathias sighed and slowly got up out of his chair and went over to the twitchy girl.

"Are you alright princess? You seem a little upset." His soothing tone of voice served only to work Anne into a frenzy and she suddenly whirled on him.

"Well I think that might be a tiny bit of a rhetorical question, don't you? Shall I recount the last three weeks for you? I went to a party with my friends, decided to go for a swim in the lake and what do you know? I end up kidnapped by some sort of freaking madman? Tell me, do I seem more than a little upset yet?" Each word climbed rapidly in volume until Anne found herself face to face with her captor and screaming.

"Tell me, would you trade with anyone? Your best friend or your worst enemy. What would you give for you freedom?" His voice was calm and contemplative in sharp contrast to her hysterical tone. The disassociated manner with which he addressed Anne pulled her out of her hysteria and she promptly sat down on the floor and stared directly into the flames.

"I…I don't know" Anne murmured in surprise. She was so sure that she would do anything to get away from him but would she really be willing to condemn another person to confinement for the sake of her freedom.

"What about your sister?" The contemplative air was completely gone, replaced by a gentle threat.

"How the hell do you know I have a sister?"

"I didn't. Now I do. What do you think princess? I will let you go only if I can have your sister in return."

Anne sat in stunned silence. Unable to find the right words to express both her outrage and hopefulness at the same time she was only able to sit and stare.

"Come now, it's not that difficult a decision. You didn't think you were going to up and leave me all by myself did you? Either you stay here with me or you leave and I go find your sister. I'm sure if she's anything life you the hunt will be a pleasurable distraction."

She couldn't believe it. He stood there in front of her like he was holding a completely normal conversation. Here he was talking about kidnapping and hunting down her _little sister_ like he was talking about the weather. There was no two ways about it. He was fucking crazy.

"Or, you stop with the crazy escape attempts. You're starting to wear me out and I don't appreciate it. Stay here with me and I will leave your family alone. Escape and there will be consequences and it may not be you that has to pay the price. This isn't a fairy tale princess and you better get used to the fact"

Still no words came out as Anne watched hi leave the library and walk away. For the first night since her arrival she didn't stop to think about planning her escape the next morning a she found her way back to her room. The only thoughts on her mind were those concerned with keeping her family safe. For a few fleeting seconds she allowed herself to dream of freedom and of going home but soon her daydreams turned to the shock and disgust on her parents faces when they learned she had traded her sister's life for her own. There was no conceivable way that she would ever be able to live with herself after that.

Mechanically she got ready for bed and crawled between the covers. Staring up at the ceiling she resigned herself to living with a madman. One by one she closed the door on all of her hopes and dreams. There would be no going to school and becoming a teacher. No wedding or family. Tears of regret and self pity soaking the pillow she finally drifted off.


	6. Chapter 6

The next three weeks passed with an uneasy sense of rhythm. After the first evening by the fireplace, Anne was very reluctant to spend any time with her captor. Slowly though, her fear began to recede and she started to wonder if she had simply dreamed it all. Mathias gave no indication as to whether their conversation had been fantasy or reality and had returned to his fine manners and chivalry. Not entirely sure what to think, Anne returned his unexpected courtesy warily.

On the third morning after her arrival, Anne woke to find a fresh rose in a crystal vase at the side of her bed. There was something about the care with which the flower had been placed in the vase that made her suspect there was something more to the gesture than romanticism. Despite her misgivings she couldn't help but admire the flawless beauty of the rose. Paper thin petals the color of fresh blood lent a fragility to the flower that was completely at odds with the sharp thorns hidden by the leaves. From that morning on there was always a fresh rose sitting on her nightstand when she awoke. Slight variations in the colour were all that reassured Anne that it was not a single immortal flower. There were some roses that were so dark that Anne initially thought they were black while others lingered on the verge of pink.

Another "gift" that had appeared on the third morning was a pile of women's clothing clumsily folded and shoved into a wicker laundry basket. A variety of styles and sized filled the basket to the point where it could have clothed almost any conceivable female on the planet. Torn between grateful and seriously creeped out, Anne pulled out all the clothes in the basket that she could possible wear in order to replace her torn sun dress. Apparently late night dashes through the woods were not particularly conducive to keeping the light fabric in one piece and Anne had been fighting feelings of exposure every time she wore the dress.

And so the days went by. Suppers were the only times that she saw Mathias and for that she was grateful. Although there were no more escape attempts after the

Curiosity burning after finding a particularly fine specimen in her room that morning, Anne resolved to ask Mathias about where the flowers came from. Experience had taught her that questions were usually to be avoided yet the constant flood of blooms was like an unspoken question mark, daring her to ask. It wasn't until supper that evening that Anne finally pulled together enough courage to ask where the roses came from. To her surprise Mathias did not slam down his dishes or storm out of the room. Instead he gave her a delighted smile as if he had been dying to tell her but was afraid to ruin the surprise.

He leaned back in his chair and savored the moment before leaning over and whispering in her ear. "Follow me" With those two words he got out of his chair and started walking briskly down the hallway. Attention firmly captured by the secrecy of his answer, Anne couldn't help but eagerly follow Mathias, jogging to keep up with his long strides. The odd pair only slowed when they reached a door made up entirely or a stained glass rose.

Gliding smoothly on well-oiled hinges, the door made no sound as it swung open to release an intoxicating perfume into the hallway. Following the scent to its source, Anne found herself in an outdoor greenhouse surrounded by hundreds of roses. There were flowers of every shape, size and colour, including some plants that Anne could have sworn had jet black petals. Giddy with excitement she ran from plant to plant, carefully examining the leaves and petals of each before moving on to the next. Mathias watched his reluctant houseguest with great amusement as she darted around like a small child in a candy store. Her enthusiasm was a source of great pleasure to him.

"I take it you like my beauties?" The deep sound of Mathias' voice was enough to snap Anne out of her reverie and back to reality, if only momentarily.

"Beauties…That's a very appropriate name for them" Anne murmured a distracted response to his question as she returned to a plant that seemed to have flowers of two different colours. Gently tracing the buds back to the stems with her fingertips she confirmed that both the red and white flowers had indeed come from the same plant.

"The plants are grafted together. You often see it with fruit trees but I wanted to have a multi-coloured rose so I took a red bud and grafted it to the white plant. Almost like splicing together a set of cables or mending a shirt." Tenderly his fingers caressed the petals as if they were the cheek of a newborn baby. The softness of his voice and the reverence in his eyes told Anne that there was nothing he cherished more than his beloved roses. Despite herself, she felt honored that he had chosen to share his prize possessions with her.

Tentatively asking more and more question about each rose and receiving the impassioned reply, the pair made their way around the entire garden before finding themselves seated on the edge of a fountain. Small koi fish swam lazily along the bottom of the water, darting under the leaves of the floating lilies as Anne traced her finger through the warm water. Neither of them took any notice of the passing time, so engrossed were they by the conversation, until the sun began to creep over the treetops, bathing the garden in a golden syrup.

Giggling helplessly as the dawn encroached steadily on the couple, Anne was shocked and slightly disturbed to find that sometime throughout the evening she had managed to inch closer to Mathias so that she was nearly sitting in his lap.

"Oh my gosh" she gasped, "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to at all." Attempting to lunge to her feet and reestablish the space barrier that had been in place for the last three weeks, Anne was stopped by a gentle pressure on her shoulders, forcing her back to a sitting position.

"I don't remember complaining."

"I kind of invaded your personal space bubble there. I have no clue what happened to me. Please believe me, I am so sorry."

"Still not complaining." Mathias chuckled in response to Anne's flustered apologies. She was so cute when she was embarrassed. Stuttering was something he hadn't heard in a while yet here she was stumbling over every word. Such vulnerability made her all the more fascinating. He wondered just how far he could draw her out of her carefully constructed shell and into the real world. Make her something to be proud of, something to display for everyone to see and envy.

"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are in the light of a sunrise?"

Anne was shocked by the suddenness of his question and found herself stuttering again in reply. "N-not the l-last time I checked."

Grinning recklessly at the adorable combination of sarcasm and helplessness Mathias swept Anne of her feet and into an exuberant hug. "You princess are going to go and have a nap. We have a very big day ahead of us. There are places to go and things to see." Babbling enthusiastically about trails to take and what to pack for lunch Mathias scooped up the unresisting Anne and carried her to her room where he tucked her in gently. With a promise to retrieve her around noon, Mathias swept out of the room like the Tasmanian devil on a mission and left Anne to her nap.

Completely flabbergasted at the change in attitude of her companion, Anne lay awake running through the past night in her mind, trying in vain to find out what could have caused the switch. One comment stuck out in her mind like a red flag. Generally when people used the phrase "Places to go etc." it also included a part about people to see. But not Mathias. He had said things to see. It could have been a slip of the tongue or just a poorly memorized phrase yet Anne felt that he knew exactly what he had said and meant it.

In addition to the perils of being kidnapped and held against her will, one of the things that bothered Anne the most was the complete lack of other people. Her favorite class last year had been one involving psychology and forensic sciences. The case study that continually came to mind was the one on Stockholm syndrome. Although she reminded herself everyday that she was a prisoner, the argument was getting harder and harder to win. Mathias was handsome, charming and, with the small exception of the taste for abduction and threats against her family, was the perfect fairytale prince. How could she resist?


	7. Chapter 7

Skipping through the spacious halls of his home, Mathias hummed to himself as he put together a picnic basket. He was in love! This was his favourite part. There was no comparing any drug to the high one could achieve off of falling love. Weak knees, somersaulting butterflies and the constant need to be in her presence… How could it be any better? His step faltered as he remembered the goal he had yet to achieve. He still had to make Anne fall in love with him. Unrequited love was not a game that Mathias was willing to play.

It couldn't be that hard though. People fell in and out of love everyday and Anne was already drifting close to the edge. Soon she would lose her footing and fall hopelessly head over heels into his possession. Not that is wouldn't take some work on his part; he had to make sure that everything fell into place perfectly. She was independent enough that any misstep could send the whole thing spiraling towards disaster.

With a plan firmly in mind, Mathias set about making Anne fall in love with him. Briefly wondering on what approach to take he soon decided that an old-fashioned courtship would be the most appropriate. For that he would need a tablecloth and the nice silverware. Trying to remember where he had placed that damned table cloth, he suddenly remembered that he had put it in the linen cupboard under the stairs and took off like a man possessed.

At the same moment that he went dashing off to explore the deep recesses of the abandoned linen closet, Anne decided to come around the corner. The result was a very predictable yet surprisingly violent clash as limbs went flying and Anne emitted a surprised squeak. Mathias took one look at the source of the strange noise and burst out into deep, throaty chuckles which quickly turned into a series of strange hiccupped giggles.

Confronted by the sight of the usually threatening man curled up on the floor giggling, Anne added her own reluctant laughter to the mix. Fifteen minutes passed before they were able to stop laughing long enough to pick themselves up off of the floor. One would compose themselves momentarily before catching a glimpse of the other and dissolving back into a fit of laughter.

Finally they helped each other off the floor and went their separate ways. Mathias continued his chuckling all the way throughout his search and subsequent discovery of the tablecloth. Yet this laughter held a self-satisfied note that had not been present in his helpless giggles. The first stage of his plan was already unwittingly carried out. By allowing Anne to glimpse an undefended side (albeit by accident) she was more likely to look upon him as a friend. The seeds of love had been planted. Now all they needed was time and a little bullshit.

With the goal now firmly in mind he went off in search of his lady love.


	8. Chapter 8

Mathias could not help but be impatient when he walked into her room to find her curled up fast asleep on top of the blankets. After all his work to put together a perfect evening, she had the audacity to fall asleep. Reaching out to shake her awake, he suddenly remembered his plan and pulled back his hand to gently brush the hair out of her face instead. Anne murmured sleepily and tried to pull away from his hand. He laughed quietly and moved his hand down to her arm.

"Rise and shine princess. It's a beautiful day. Surely you don't want to miss our picnic."

At the mention of the word picnic, Anne opened her eyes and peered blearily at Mathias. Sitting up and stretching, she smiled eagerly.

"A picnic you say? I think I rather like this idea. Where are we going? Is it a long walk? Do you need my help in getting anything together?" Anne babbled cheerfully completely forgetting her initial resolution to not ask any questions of Mathias. It was so hard to be frightened of someone who giggled when they laughed and went on picnics. And there was the rather sensitive matter of finding herself snuggling with aforementioned man in his rose garden just that morning. There were two ways she could deal with it all. And the easiest (and more interesting) of the two options was simply to run with it and see how it all played out.

Almost as if he were reading her mind, Mathias wrapped his arms around the sitting Anne and scooped her off the bed. Ignoring her laughing entreaties to be put down, he carried her down the hallway and into the kitchen where a full hiking backpack was sitting on the table. Placing Anne gently on the floor he proceeded to hoist the pack onto his shoulders and fasten the various belts. The pack seemed to fit him well and he had to make very few adjustments in order to settle the load comfortably. Anne casually wondered how often he wore the pack for it to be so well adjusted.

Not for the first time her thoughts turned to Mathias' life outside of the house. She no longer even entertained the possibility that the grotesque tale he had told in front the fire upon her arrival could even be remotely true. Perhaps he was a writer and needed to completely immerse himself in the lives of his characters in order to create a realistic story. The more she ran over that scenario the more likely it became. It would explain everything. The sudden character switches, the remote location and even her imprisonment could all be justified as the eccentricities of an extremely popular author.

So caught up in her creation of an alternate life for Mathias, she didn't even realize that they had been walking for the better part of an hour without a single word spoken between them. Yet the hush seemed to be a comfortable one between two people who didn't see the need to fill an awkward silence with empty chatter. Deciding to turn her thoughts to the present Anne truly began to look around at her surroundings.

The path was a well-worn narrow trail that curved and looped around trees and boulders with a careless abandon as if the creator had no set destination in mind. Such lackadaisical design allowed the walker to take in the natural beauty of the forest. Rich green moss covered every available surface in the undergrowth, the colour only interspersed by the fire of fallen leaves. The merry gurgling of a stream could be heard in the background but there seemed to be an odd lack of birdsong.

"Where are all the birds?" Anne's question seemed to startle Mathias out of some sort of deep philosophical reverie. Actually he had been thinking about the contents of the picnic basket but felt no inclination on sharing that with her. He was just relieved that she had finally said something. Unfortunately he now had to come up with an explanation for the lack of birds.

"Well you see," he started, "once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a dragon and he was a very mean old dragon who hated the sound of birds. So he decided to hold a feast for all the birds and trick them into coming. Of course the birds were all very excited to be invited to the dragon's feast and it was all they could talk about for weeks. When the night of the feast finally arrived, the birds all arrived to a huge series of empty tables with no place setting or anything. When one of the little birds finally dragged up the courage to ask the dragon what was for supper, the dragon let out a terrible roar. 'You' he cried and ate up all the birds. And from that day on there have been no more birds in this forest."

Anne laughed playfully, "But if the dragon lived far away, why are there no birds in this forest? It seems to me that there would be no more birds in the forest where the dragon lived, not this one here." She then promptly removed any semblance of logic from her argument by impulsively sticking her tongue out.

"Now, now princess. Play nicely." Mathias playfully reprimanded the now-blushing Anne. "It seems to me that you're forgetting an important lesson."

"Now whatever could that be?"

"Time and distance are all relative."

"Always?"

Mathias moved closer to Anne in response to her impudent question. "Yes princess, always. For instance you believe that I am entirely too close right now, whereas if you ask me, you will find I have a very different opinion to offer."

Anne shivered; he was in fact invading her personal space, something that she was not appreciating. As if he had read her mind, he moved away so that he was no longer close enough to cause discomfort while still being within arm's reach, close enough to catch her if she stumbled. Which, momentarily disoriented by his proximity, Anne promptly did.

Rather than simply picking her up, Mathias kept his distance and gently eased her to the ground. Sitting on the ground beside her, he looked quizzically at his companion. "Is something wrong?" he asked quietly.

Shocked by the tone of compassion in his voice, Anne looked up at him and burst into tears.

A horrified look crossed Mathias' face as he tried desperately to find the cause of this sudden display of emotion. "What did I say? I'm so sorry. Please stop crying!" he pleaded desperately as Anne continued to sob.

Finally he just leaned in closer and wrapped his arms around her until her tears began to subside. Rummaging around in his pack, he found a wad of tissues and handed them to her silently. Blowing her nose loudly she nodded at him gratefully. Once she had composed herself enough to hold a conversation, she apologized profusely. "I am so sorry. Honestly I am sor—no wait. I'm not sorry. Yes, I am. Oh, I don't know."

Noticing that tears threatened to spill over once more, Mathias quickly spoke up in order to stall the flood. "Are you not happy here? With me." For the first time ever, Anne could hear doubt in his voice.

"That's the strange part" she said, "I am happy here. I enjoy spending time here. I like being with you."

"Then what's the problem?"

"It's just, I had so many plans. There is so much that I want to do with my life. I want to be somebody, to do something productive." Anne was almost wailing as she thought of all the opportunities that she was missing. Summer was almost over. If it had been a typical summer she could have had a summer job and gone out with her friends on the weekends. But this summer had been anything but typical and Anne could guarantee that she would not be going to school in September.

"Oh princess. Come here." Ignoring all the previous conversation about space, Mathias gathered Anne into his lap. "Don't ever think that what you're doing here isn't productive or meaningful. I need you. Anne. I have been so lonely without you. With you here |I actually feel that I can face each day. Because of you, I can do something with my life. I can be someone and be productive. I am begging you. Please, don't leave me. I don't think I could bear to be alone anymore"

Anne snuggled closer to Mathias, "I never said I was going anywhere." Sighing, she faced the inevitable. "There is something I have to tell you. I never wanted this to happen, but it did. And I cannot honestly say that I completely regret it."

Mathias waited eagerly for her to continue. He didn't even realize that he had been holding his breath until the never-ending hunger for life-giving oxygen kicked in and he took in a deep breath. Wondering briefly if this was what it felt like to drown, he focused instead on the tousled head of hair in front of him. Desperately willing her to go on, simply to fill the silence and break the tension of not knowing. The pain of being unsure of her love was simply excruciating. Three simply words. That was all he needed to hear. It was astounding, but every time he heard those words, no matter the language, he felt as if he were walking on air. But he wasn't hearing them. Anne had completely frozen up and seemed incapable of speech.

"Princess, you know that nothing you could tell me would ever drive me away. No matter what, I will always be here for you." Mathias finally tired of waiting and decided to try and goad her into speaking.

Apparently it worked because Anne suddenly muttered something under her breath.

"I can't hear you princess."

More mumbling ensued, only slightly louder than the last time.

"Just a little louder. If there's something you want to tell me, please do so. Please, just let me know." Mathias could feel the words just trembling on the tip of Anne's tongue. Even the slightest nudge would cause them to spill out into the silence. He gave Anne a reassuring smile and hugged her closer.

Summoning up the courage to speak, Anne turned herself around so that she was facing Mathias directly. "I love you." There was a curious vulnerability to the words, as if she were afraid that he would take them from her. She quickly looked down to hide the tears that were reforming in her eyes.

Mathias tucked his fingers under her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. "That is nothing to be ashamed of. And, oddly enough, you will find that I too have a confession to make. A month and a half ago I met a girl who utterly despised me and everything I stood for. Yet I couldn't bear to take my eyes off of her, to be away from her. I needed to hear her voice every day. I would have done anything for her."

Anne grew more and more hopeful with every word he spoke. Was it possible that he felt the same way?

"Anne, princess, I love you."


	9. In Which Anne Finds the Piano

**AN: So I think I want to call this "Blood Red" in honour of Mathias' roses. Any other title suggestions would still be greatly appreciated along with any thoughts on where to add details so it can be fleshed out a little.**

Anne was completely astounded by Mathias' declaration of love. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that he could possible return her feelings. Telling him had granted her with a kind of freedom that she had never experienced before. No longer did she have to worry about hiding her feelings, they could be displayed openly for the world to see. She felt as if she were floating on air.

Shyly she reached over and clasped the hand that had been swinging so temptingly next to her for the past hour. Countless times she had reached out and then drew back, afraid to push her luck, before becoming frustrated with her cowardice. Now that she had, she was pleasantly surprised to find that Mathias's hands were warm and comforting. Looking up at him she gave him an adoring smile and was even more surprised when he returned it. They both laughed as they basked in the warmth of shared affection.

Conversation turned to idle chit-chat as time rapidly passed. The lunch that Mathias had so carefully prepared was leisurely eaten by the side of a stream and the tablecloth was only removed from his pack after Mathias related his desperate dash to find it. When they finally decided to return home, the sun was beginning to set and had taken its warmth with them. Taking into account that their last night had been a rather late one, the tired pair decided to call it a night and headed off to bed.

The next morning, over breakfast, Mathias returned to the conversation of the day previous. "Anne, what do you think we could do to keep you occupied? You can't be happy just sitting inside all the time while I'm gone."

Shocked at his sudden kindness, Anne was a loss of words. "Ummm... I like to paint, and play the piano."

"You play the piano!" The excitement was almost palpable in Mathias's voice. "Well, come on then. There is no time to waste, I cannot believe that you have been here for this long and I didn't realize that you could play the piano!" Leaping out of his chair, he literally dragged Anne down the hall back towards the library. Baffled, she followed him though the elaborately carved doors to the room that had become her sanctuary over the past month and a half. She had spent hours every day inside that room, while Mathias left on some errand that he refused to share with her. Whatever it was, it took at least half of every day to complete, leaving Anne with ample time to explore the mysteries of the library. Yet she had never seen a piano in all her ramblings.

So she was quite surprised when he walked over to the bookshelf by the fireplace and pulled out a thick book on the history of book printing in ancient China. Suddenly the book shelf began to violently shudder and creak as it swung out to reveal yet another tiny alcove. In the middle of the room was the most beautiful piano Anne had ever laid eyes on. Piled on top of the music bench was a collection of sheet music for what seemed to be every possible playing level. Eagerly Anne ran forward and sat down on the leather piano bench.

"May I?" She looked up at Mathias eagerly.

He chuckled indulgently and replied "I wouldn't have shown you if I didn't want you to play."

Needing no further encouragement, Anne quickly went through all the scales she could remember before greedily riffling through the stack of music. Eventually she tired of trying to decide and simply closed her eyes and picked a piece. Looking apologetically at Mathias she warned him "It's been awhile since I played, I might be a little rusty."

"I'm sure you will do just fine." Mathias was beginning to grow impatient. Listening to other people lay the piano was one of his favourite pastimes and he could not wait to find out just how good of a musician Anne really was. Ideally he wanted to be able to play duets with her. There was something magical about the combined voices of the piano singing out in unison.

A few tentative taps on the keys broke the silence and pulled Mathias from his musings. Soon they were followed by a series of quick lilting notes that grew in confidence as they progressed. Anne began to sway in time with the music as it drew her under its spell. Mathias need not have worried about the skill level of his companion, what she lacked in technical knowledge she made up for in passion. It was clear to see that music rushed though her veins like fiery lifeblood, touching everything she did. Mathias cursed himself silently for not seeing it sooner. He was a firm believer that everyone needed to discover their passion in life in order to be truly happy. Long ago Mathias had discovered his own passions and it was plain to see that Anne had as well.

The last uplifting notes of the cheery song faded away to be replaced by a song with a much more melancholy tone. Mathias listened raptly, fascinated as the keys played out the story of a young girl, mourning the loss of her lover. The speed and mood of the music changed as Mathias followed the tale of the separated pair, feeling the pain of their long separation and the elation at their eventual reunion. He hadn't noticed the tears streaming down his face until the last bar died off and Anne looked at him nervously.

"Was it that much worse than I thought?" she asked quietly. She was afraid she had offended him, or worse, disappointed him. He had seemed to excited to hear her play, and now she had failed him.

Instead of answering her question he simply sat down next to her and selected another piece of music, putting it between the two of them. Anne took this as a sign that he wanted to play with her and quickly studied the piece to see if she recognized it. She knew she had seen it before but couldn't place it. Glancing over at Mathias she counted to four twice, indicating that they should begin on the second count. By the fourth bar into the song, Anne realized that she was quite familiar with the tune and began to relax, letting her fingers guide themselves along the keys.

When the end of the song came, Anne simply started again at the beginning. She was sure if she listened carefully she could figure out where she had last played the song. Mathias seamlessly caught up with her and resumed his role in the duet. Soon he began to sing, in a quiet voice.

**An outlandish knight came from the northlands;****  
****And he came wooing to me;****  
****He said he would take me to foreign lands****  
****And he would marry me.******

**Go fetch me some of your father's gold,****  
****And some of your mother's fee,****  
****And two of the best nags from out of the stable,****  
****Where there stand thirty and three.******

**She mounted upon her milkwhite steed,****  
****And he on his dapple grey;****  
****They rode till they came unto the seaside,****  
****Three hours before it was day.******

**Light off, light on, thy milkwhite steed;****  
****Deliver it up unto me;****  
****For six pretty maidens I have drown'd here,****  
****And thou the seventh shall be.******

**Doff off, doff off thy silken things,****  
****Deliver them up unto me;****  
****I think that they look too rich and too gay****  
****To rot all in the salt sea."**

Anne suddenly, dropping her hands to her side. "What an absolutely horrid song" she exclaimed "The music sounds so pretty, but it's about a murderer How can you listen to that!"

"Ah, you haven't heard all the words yet. The pretty maiden wins in the end, leaving the outlandish knight to rot in the same place he had meant to leave her. I find it to be a rather ironic story about believing what you are told and trusting first impressions." Mathias looked at Anne with a shocked expression on his face. He hadn't expected her to react so violently. It was simply one of the only songs that he had music for that could be played as a duet.

Anne laughed sharply, "Well if you look at it like that, it could also be about not underestimating your opponent. Anyways, I don't like it. Could we play something else?"

Mathias explained his lack of music, "I haven't met someone that I actually wanted to play with for such a long time that I guess I just gravitated towards music that could be played by myself. I don't think I could match your skill anyways."

She was quick to reply that his music playing couldn't be that bad, she had just heard him play a duet afterall.

"But I could never play like your princess. I lack the drive. My passions lie elsewhere." Mathias replied as he gazed reverently at the fingers that had so skilfully danced across the keys.

"Like your roses?" Anne asked curiously. There was no denying that he was passionate about his garden. His eyes lit up every time he spoke of his beloved "beauties" and he tended them as carefully as a mother would her newborn child.

"Yes, exactly like my roses. And other things of course." Mathias grinned mischievously and walked out of the room, leaving Anne to stare blankly after him.


	10. Baking

Anne woke up early the next morning and headed straight for the kitchen. There seemed to be something entirely instinctual about her need to gravitate towards food after a declaration of love. Perhaps it had to do with the strict pairing of loving and nurturing that Anne's grandmother had passed on or perhaps she was just tiring of Mathias's attempts at cooking, but for whatever the reason, Anne was making breakfast. A quick rummage around in the cupboards revealed all the ingredients for a round of biscuit so she soon worked herself into a baking whirlwind, wrapping an old tea towel around her waist as a make-shift apron.

Mathias seemed to be quickly drawn out of bed by the smell of baking that permeated the house. He looked completely astounded at the figure of Anne, bustling around his kitchen. He crept up behind her just as she was transferring the empty bowl to the sink to be washed. Wrapping his arms around her waist he leaned over and rested his chin on her shoulder, peering into the empty bowl that she promptly dropped on the floor in surprise.

"Mathias! Look what you've done. What on earth are you doing`` Anne laughed at Mathias' eagerness for food he hadn`t cooked.

"Well you see, I was lying peacefully in bed when I heard a horrible racket. Fortunately it was followed by a delicious aroma. Curiosities aroused, I just had to come and investigate." Mathias grinned mischievously at Anne as he stooped to grab the bowl from the floor and toss it noisily into the sink. "Actually I have to go into town today and I was wondering if you would like to join me."

Anne stared blankly back at him.

"Groceries princess." Mathias held up the empty flour tin from the counter as evidence. "And I was thinking that we should probably get you some warmer clothes before the temperature drops too much. Summer is almost over now."

"In that case I should probably come with you. We could split the cooking if you'd like. I thought you might appreciate a change of pace for once." Anne was quite excited at the prospect of leaving the house. She loved it and couldn't be happier but she still couldn't shake the feeling that the walls were closing in on her to form a prison that she would never be able to escape.

"Are you implying that you're getting tired of my cooking?" Mathias glared at Anne in mock indignance.

"Me? Oh no, I could never tire of your wonderful cooking." Anne replied sarcastically, Mathias seemed to have a cooking repartee limited to various stews.

"Well if you won't admit it, I will. My cooking leaves something to be desired. Mostly variety." Mathias chuckled to himself.

"So it's decided, to the grocery store we will go. Food first though." Anne pulled the final tray of biscuits from the oven and quickly shuffled them onto the counter. "Quick, eat them while they're still hot. I couldn't find any jam but they go quite nicely with honey on top." She took a big bite to illustrate her point and promptly burned the roof of her mouth. Shooting Mathias a dirty look as he tried unsuccessfully to hold back his laughter, the chagrined cook went in search of a glass of cold milk.

After breakfast had been eaten, Anne shooed Mathias out of the kitchen to she could clean up. A survey of the cupboards and fridge told her that there wasn't a lot of shopping that needed to done. There were a few empty and expired containers of baking ingredients but that seemed to be all. Off-handedly she wondered when someone had lasted baked in the kitchen. There had been a thick layer of dust that needed to be washed off the cookie sheets before she was willing to put anything edible on them. The container of yeast in the fridge had expired over a year ago.

Her musings were interrupted by the return of Mathias. "Make sure you grab a sweater, I'm not sure when we'll be back and it's starting to get cool in the evenings." He tossed the words over his shoulder quickly and curtly. She looked after him bemusedly before running to comply.


	11. A Trip Into Town

What had he been thinking when he invited Anne to come to town with him. What if she left him? It would be so easy for her to slip out the back of one of the stores and get someone to call the police. Or she could just start walking home. And he would be alone. Again.

Furious with his own stupidity Mathias slammed the door of his car hard enough to send a resounding bang echoing throughout the woods. He yelled for Anne and then crawled into the front seat, angrily twisting the key in the ignition. At least the seats were clean.

Anne hopped into the car with smile that quickly faded when she saw the expression on her companion's face. The trip passed in stoic silence excepting the occasional squeak from Anne when the small car hit a particularly large pothole along the old dirt road. Mathias drove down the winding path while his brain raced madly. Maybe he could come up with some plausible excuse to keep her either in the car or by his side for the entire day. When she was safe back at the house he could relax again. Whatever happened, he couldn't let her leave him.

"Mathias," Anne whispered quietly.

He whirled around agitatedly. This was it; she was going to ask him to drop her off alone. While he waited patiently outside she would run away.

"Mathias, I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you." Anne was looking over at him earnestly, tears in her eyes. "I promise I won't leave you."

"W-what are you talking about?" Mathias tried to keep his voice gruff in spite of the relief that was flooding through him with her every word.

She smiled at him sadly. "Your lips move when you're concentrating. You keep whispering 'don't leave' over and over again. And I won't. I've told you that I love you."

The car rolled to a stop as Mathias bent over the steering wheel, tears in his eyes. He couldn't believe what he heard. This was perfect. Not even in his wildest dreams had he pictured it turning out this perfectly. She was more than in love with him, she was completely smitten. And he completely returned her feelings. Never had he made such a close connection in such a short period of time. Most addicts found that they could never repeat the high from their initial fix but nothing that Mathias had felt before was quite like this. He could feel the burning itch to bring the high to a climax but fought the urge. If he acted too soon it would completely destroy all of his hard work.

She loved him but she didn't trust him yet. It was quite obvious by the way she had cringed when he snapped at her to close her door properly that she still viewed him as a threat, albeit subconsciously. He would just have to find some way to convince her that he would never hurt her, that she was safe with him. Starting now.

"Anne, you have no idea how much that means to me. I really needed to hear that." He lifted his head from the steering wheel to look over at her. "Unfortunately there seems to be a difference between what I know and what I believe. I know you aren't going to leave me but I find it so hard to believe. Everything just seems to be too good to be true. I am so scared that you're going to come to your senses and leave. It suddenly hit me today when I realized that we were leaving the shelter of my home, that you would see all the things that you're missing."

Anne thought back to all the times she had tried to escape, all of the crazy schemes and plots, suddenly realizing how happy she was that they had all failed. If she had managed to escape she never would have seen the rose garden, sat in front of the fireplace or fallen in love. How could you put those feelings into words? Anne wasn't even sure how to explain to herself how she felt, let alone to Mathias.

Settling on some sort of solution, she leaned over and hugged him tightly. "If you want to go back to the house, I can hang out at home for this trip into town." Despite her eagerness to leave the house and experience the outside world, putting off her exploring was definitely worth the look of relief and gratitude in Mathias' eyes.

'Home'. The look in Mathias' eyes was more due to Anne's use of the word 'home' than her offer to stay back. She couldn't disguise the reluctance in her voice completely so it was quite obvious that she would rather go in to town. But she had said she was willing to stay home. Not back at the house, home. Mathias was absolutely ecstatic. He leaned over the divide between the two seats and gave Anne an exuberant kiss. When she didn't jump out the car and run screaming into the woods, he was rather tempted to repeat the exercise but held himself back.

"Dare I ask what inspired that?" Anne asked in a rather surprised tone once she had recovered from the shock of the unexpected kiss.

"You said 'home' princess!" Mathias was grinning fit to burst. "You said that you would stay home."

"Ummm… Yes? Was there another word that I was supposed to use instead?" Confusion ran rampant over Anne's face and her excited companion almost laughed at the expression on her face. No other word had even occurred to her. Home was the place you went at the end of the day, knowing that you could feel safe there. Home was the place where you felt loved. And by those criteria, Mathias' house was Anne's home.

Carefully maneuvering the car around on the narrow road, Mathias began the drive back to the house. "We can do the shopping on another day." He said with yet another smile.

Anne brushed him off laughingly "No, you should go get groceries. Drop me off and I'll see what I can pull together for dinner from the contents of the cupboard. That way when you get home there will be something hot waiting for you on the table. The clouds are starting to get thicker so it looks like we may even see some rain before the day is through, making a hot meal an excellent ending to the day."

Mathias began to visibly daydream about another meal that he hadn't cooked. Sheepishly he pulled himself from thoughts of baking fresh from the oven and attempted to mount a half-hearted defense. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay behind, I can always head out another day."

The banter continued playfully back and forth until finally the car pulled into the driveway. Anne hopped out of the car with a threat that if he didn't leave she would make him wash all the dishes by himself for the rest of the week. Sighing dramatically he pulled away with a lingering look over his shoulder at the smiling Anne.


	12. Chapter 12

___True to her former predictions, the cloud layer soon thickened and formed a blanket over the sun impermeable to light. By mid-afternoon the sun was completely blocked out and fat raindrops had begun to leave their mark on the dusty ground. Heavier and heavier they fell until visibility was completely obscured by a solid wall of water. Worrying that Mathias would be unable to drive back safely, Anne began to pace frantically throughout the halls. _

___With the lack of sun had come a rapid loss of heat and Anne soon found herself huddled in the library in front of a small fire, shivering violently. She had never noticed just how creepy the house was when it was empty. Thoughts of her first nights when she was even more terrified to hear Mathias' footsteps in the hall than to be alone now seemed absolutely ludicrous. _

___A sudden flash of lightning and the deep roll of accompanying thunder made Anne jump up from her chair and start pacing the floor. Usually she loved to watch a thunderstorm play out across the sky and reveled in every single burst of light that seemed as if bounced off the mountains in the distance. But tonight the firelight combined with the lightning was creating ominous shadows and even the most inane object seemed to come alive with a sinister purpose. _

___Growing increasingly impatient with her own anxiety Anne began to wander throughout the library towards the hidden piano room. Seating herself in front of the piano she began to play scales, her fingers dancing up and down the keys. Allowing her mind to wander she struck the first notes of the first song to come into her head. Unable to place the tune she continued to play until she started to hum along. _

___Suddenly dropping her hands to her side she realized that she had been playing the song that Mathias had been singing. "And thou the seventh shall be" she whispered brokenly to herself. Whether it was the storm or Mathias' odd behavior in the car, Anne was filled with a chill that she could not shake. For the first time in weeks, she was afraid._

___Leaving the piano, she tried to walk around in order to leave behind the cloud of despair that had been hanging over her. Floating through the hallways like a disembodied spirit, she soon found herself looking out the window at the rose garden. As the rain streamed relentlessly down the glass, she was thankful that the greenhouse protected the fragile blossoms from the fury of the storm. Mathias would be heartbroken if his precious roses were damaged. _

___Anne wondered idly if there was any other window where she could see the roses better. Even though a single bloom still showed up at her bedside every morning, the sight of the garden in its splendor was both calming and impressive with its beauty. So much effort and care had gone into the garden that it was impossible not to be impressed. _

___Sliding her hand along the wall, she walked past the door that lead to the greenhouse and continued along the corridor. She'd never actually been down this hallway before. Every time she'd started in this direction Mathias had picked her up and carried her to the rose garden to sit in front of the fountain and stare at the sky. Curiosity overtaking the feelings of dread that had been haunting her, Anne took off down the hallways to see what she could find. _

___Soon she found a carved door, matching the one that lead to the library. She paused for a moment to trace the carvings, marveling at the intricacies of the woodwork. Emotions seemed to pulse through her fingertips as she ran over each figure. The stark terror of the deer was disturbing but not nearly as much as the relentless hunger for blood that poured off of the dogs and huntsmen both. Anne shivered involuntarily as she pictured how it must feel to be so hungry and never to have that hunger sated. The lifeblood of their prey would serve only to whet their appetites for more. _

___Shuddering, she forced herself to look away from the carvings and to instead open the door. The high humidity must have caused the door to swell in it's frame Anne though to herself as she threw her weight against it, managing to force it inwards enough to creep inside. A strange odour assaulted Anne's nostrils and she struggled to place the vaguely familiar smell. It was one she had encountered somewhere at school but she couldn't recall the source. _

___As her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light that managed to penetrate the thick clouds outside and illuminate the room, Anne suddenly realized that she what she had smelled was a combination of oil paints and charcoal. The same smell that she remembered from her high school art room. Portraits in various stages of completion lined the walls, interspersed with rougher charcoal drawings. With a sudden shock, Anne noticed that all the portraits seemed to be of all the same subject. Her. _

___Almost every emotion that could be displayed by the human face was catalogued here in this room. A painting hung directly across from the door was based off the night of her arrival. Remembered fear overwhelmed Anne's senses as she took in the tears in her dress and her disheveled hair, trying desperately to avoid the look in her painted eyes. Closing her real eyes, she blinked back tears vigorously, fighting to overcome the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her. Her mind returned again to the carving of the doe on the door, the look in her eyes mirrored the expression of the doomed animal perfectly. _

___Purposefully avoiding the frightened stare of the painting across the room, Anne began to inspect the other portraits in the room. In one she was gazing intensely into the flames in the library fireplace, in another she was gently fingering the petals of one of Mathias' beloved roses. Yet it was an unfinished charcoal drawing on an easel that truly caught her attention. In complete contradiction to the look of fear she was wearing, this sketch instead featured her laughing alongside a creek. However it was not the laughter or the smile that set it so far apart, it was the look of adoration for the artist. There was no fear here, only love. _


	13. The Story Continued

By the time Mathias came home, Anne was fast asleep in her chair by the fireplace. He reached over to pick her up and carry her off to bed when she awoke with a start. "I wasn't asleep!" she declared in an urgent mumble "I was just resting my eyes!"

"Of course you were princess" Mathias whispered soothingly "Just go back to sleep. It's ok."

At that last comment, Anne woke up long enough to say lucidly "Of course it's ok. You're here aren't you?" With that she stopped struggling against her heavy eyelids and fell into a deep sleep.

Mathias stopped in his tracks and walked back over to the fireplace, cradling Anne in his arms as he took a seat. Stroking her hair with his free hand he thought back to the first night she had sat by the fire with him. Terror poured off of her in waves so strong that he feared she would never see his point of view. She had seemed so fragile then, it had been far more likely that she would break than bend to his will. Yet slowly she had come around.

Flickering firelight created a haunting display of shadows that dances across her cheekbones. Perhaps this would be her next portrait. It had been a pity that she had discovered his studio while he was out, he would have paid any price to see the expression on her face running through all of those on the wall until she reached the inevitable look of love. It was that look that currently graced her face as she slept. There was no longer even the faintest trace of doubt or fear, she was completely and entirely his. A feeling of possession swept through him until he was overwhelmed by the wonder of possessing as wonderful a creature as a human being, both body and soul.

Tenderly he kissed the soft skin of her forehead and began to work his way down her cheeks until he landed a kiss on her lips. He was pleasantly surprised when she responded to his affection and opened her eyes blearily. "You do realize that you make it incredibly hard to sleep when you do that!" she wryly commented, mock anger dripping from her voice.

"Now why would you want to do anything as boring as sleeping? I'm sure we could find something far more exciting that sleeping to occupy your time." Mathias quipped with a grin, running his fingertips down the side of her face to rest in the hollow of her throat. He could feel her pulse quicken and the possessiveness leapt again. It was so fulfilling to have this power over her. This was the very moment he had been waiting for so patiently. Now the wait was over and he could finally give in to the need that had been eating at him.

Anne leaned back to link her arms behind his neck and looked caught his gaze with a warm smile. What she saw caused her to gasp in surprise. Hunger filled Mathias' eyes and gave him a feral look. However it was not the hunger so often featured in romance novels that suggested her could not wait to remove her clothing and ravage her. This was the hunger featured in nature films on dangerous predators, the hunger of a wild animal that had not eaten in recent memory but could see its helpless prey beginning to falter. It was the look of an animal that could already feel the collapse of fragile bones and the warm rush of blood down its throat. To complete the dangerous look, Mathias chose that moment to let out a low rumbling in his throat that sounded suspiciously like a growl.

Trying to shake off the feeling of horror that suddenly swept through her veins and filled her with dread, Anne dropped her arm to her side and rested the other lightly on Mathias' broad shoulder. "Are you alright?" she whispered, fighting to keep her voice from faltering.

His responding smile was the most disturbing thing that Anne had ever seen, showcasing his teeth far more than a normal smile should, and she suddenly remembered the care-free grin that he had displayed on that night by the lake, a moment that seemed to be many lifetimes ago. The fog created by time and seclusion rapidly disappeared and she was reminded of the sheer terror that she had felt as she ran panicked through the woods. More of the same fear began to wash through her body, blood pounded in her head as the fight-or-flight response came into play.

Mathias rested his fingertips on the racing pulse in her throat with an amused smile. "Now princess, why would I be anything other than ok? I have a beautiful woman in my arms. You seem nervous though. Is there something that's bothering you?"

Anne reminded herself to breathe and focus on what was going on around her. She became aware of Mathias' hands rubbing her shoulders and neck gently and had to fight off the impulse to shake away his hands. Despite the comfort she had found in his embrace not long ago, every move he made felt predatory rather than affectionate. Trying to fill the silence that had descended like a flock of hungry vultures she suddenly blurted out "Mathias, would you tell me a story?"

"I suppose I do owe you the ending to the tale we began by the fire, on a night not much different than this. As of now all you have heard is the prologue. Now it is time to begin the rest of the tale, the part in which you become a character." Excitement was building in Mathias' voice as if this was a moment he had been waiting patiently for and could not believe that it was finally here. "Now where were we? Oh I remember; I killed my incompetent father in order to further the family business, you were horrified and I told you not to worry as the worst was yet to come. Well now it is time for the next chapter..."

**AN: This actually has been coming the entirety of the story. Hopefully I will be updating slightly more often now.**


	14. Chapter 14

_Gone entirely was the friendliness and easy joking that had characterized Mathias for the last few months. Every move he made was carefully calculated and inexplicably sharp. His voice had a matter-of-fact quality that suggested what he was saying was not only undeniably true, it had also been said many times before. Almost like a university professor delivering a lecture or a minister delivering a sermon, Mathias absentmindedly stroked the stubble that grew more pronounced as the night dragged on. _

_"Where to begin." He mused thoughtfully. "You know some people would find it appropriate to start at the beginning. But I think we've already done that and I don't think you believed me. Beginnings are so overrated when all you want to do is find out the part you play. Don't you think so princess?" _

_Anne simply looked on, dumbfounded, as Mathias became more and more animated as his story continued. With every word he spoke an unsavory light seemed to grow stronger and stronger in his eyes until his gaze was glassy and feverish. Soon he was staring not at Anne but through her. _

_"My father I killed out of necessity. There was truly very little pleasure in extinguishing a life that is so close to just fading away on its own. Rather like using a sledgehammer to crush an insect, it seems to be such a waste of energy. Yet his death still managed to serve a purpose. After watching the casket slowly lowered into the cold, hard ground, I realized just how much power was available to me. I could make or break someone by simply eliminating one of their family members. One of my favorite parts was taking part in the funeral and listening to the blatant hypocrisy of the friends and family. Even the most foul-tempered drunk became a paragon of virtue as soon as he ceased to breathe and his worthless heart no longer beat in his chest. At first it was only the elderly or the sickly; those whose deaths wouldn't be seen as suspicious in the least. Then one day it happened. There was a girl who walked past me one day and I just knew I had to possess her. She had to be mine until the end of time. She looked quite a bit like you princess."_

_Mathias shot Anne an appraising look as she tried to bury herself in the soft cushions of the armchair. His voice took on a dreamlike quality as he began once again to drift off into his __memories. _

_"Her hair was long and hanging in loose curls and the skirts of her dress were caught by the wind just enough to give a glimpse of her slender legs. She was the single most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Yet it wasn't her physical beauty alone that caught me off guard. It was her smile. One look at the curve of her lips and I was gone. Hers was a smile that managed to convey a teasing confidence with just a glance. I did what any red-blooded young man would have done in my place. I followed her. You would think that after a smile like the one she had thrown my way, she would be quite friendly. Yet the look on her face was one of disgust when I tried to strike up a conversation." _

_Mathias' voice lost its dreamlike quality and became hard and vicious. Agitatedly he got out of his chair and began to pace back and forth in front of the fireplace. Noticing that the flames were starting to slowly die down, he grabbed another log from the floor and tossed it into the grate. Pulling the poker down from the top of the mantle he began to jab the blackened metal into the log, pushing it into place. He punctuated each stab with a another word spat angrily. "Stupid. Stuck-up. Bitch." Suddenly he whirled on Anne, still brandishing the poker, the tip now red hot from its contact with the fire. _

_"What made her think she was so much better than me? She was the daughter of a small-town doctor for God's sake. I was the heir to the most successful business empire for a hundred miles and running most of the company by myself after I killed my father. Compared to me she was nothing. Yet she had the power to deny me what I wanted; her. Or so she believed." _

_The tip of the poker began to make a dreamy journey through Mathias' hands as he began to spin it around playfully, like a drum major twirling his mace. Glowing a cheerful red, suddenly it stopped mere inches from Anne's cheek. She could feel the heat radiating from the metal and she tried to draw herself deeper into the chair to distance herself from the searing point. Keeping the poker just far enough from Anne's skin to avoid burning her, Mathias ran the tip along the side of her face and under her chin. He used the threat of the heat to force her chin up so she was looking him in the eyes. What she saw reflected in those dark orbs was more terrifying even then the tale of death he __was spinning. _

_"At first I didn't want to kill her; just to give her a good scare and force her see just how trivial she really was. But then I heard her screams and I couldn't stop. As I watched the life fading from her eyes I realized that the control I could exercise over friends and family of my victims was nothing compared to the control over life and death itself. Poison of some description had usually been my method of choice in the past but as I sat and watched her body cool it suddenly occurred to me just how much I had been missing by not being present for the death itself. Poison was so impersonal it seemed insulting to carry on using it after I had experienced the intimacy of death. Being lovers is like being across oceans when compared to the closeness felt when you feel someone's dying breaths on your skin. Do you see it yet princess? Do you see the part you are to play?"_

_Anne looked at him incredulously, "You're going to kill me?"_

_"Well yes, eventually. I wasn't planning on doing it tonight but you were just so sweet and helpless sitting in my lap. How could I resist?" _


	15. Chapter 15

_Shoving her way up out of the chair, Anne made a leap for the doorway but was encased in the straitjacket of Mathias' arms before she had even made it two feet. _

_"You always seem to end up in my arms don't you?" The slight upturning of his lips was a mockery of a smile, containing the threats of untold horrors to come. _

_Stalling for time as she tried to figure out an escape Anne blurted out "How are you still alive?" Mathias looked at her quizzically. "You should be dead by now. There hasn't been any coal mining in this area for almost a hundred years but you were talking about it as if it was just yesterday. How are you so old?" Once the words were out of her mouth, Anne realized that she truly was curious to know the answer. _

_The laugh that Mathias let out was a disturbing sound full of bitterness. "I wish I knew. At the very moment I watched the last breath fall from the lips of the doctor's pretty daughter, I made the foolish wish that I could spend eternity in that one moment. Someone out there has a nasty sense of __humour__ because from that moment on I simply stopped aging. It was if a switch had been flicked and my biological clock ceased to tick. There are times when I feel myself growing tired of this world and the petty beings who inhabit it. Whenever one of these times strikes, I know that I must search out a new companion. You were sheer luck. I had no plans to find myself a partner when you rose out of the lake like a water nymph arising from the depths."_

_"Don't I just feel lucky." she whispered weakly, trying to restore her bravado. _

_"Oh you should. Not everyone gets a chance to fall in love. We had a wonderful time, didn't we princess?" The grin he tossed her this time was identical to the one she had fallen in love with. As if knowing she was about to die wasn't enough, he had to smile at her. Tears began to fill her eyes and threatened to spill over as she glared angrily at him._

_"How could you?" she demanded. "If you were so set on killing me, couldn't you at least allow me to die with my dignity intact? Did you have to make me fall in love with you?"_

_"Would it be any consolation if I told you I love you as well? Don't roll your eyes at me, it's quite true. If I didn't love you I would have no inclination to hurt you." Mathias eased his grip on her __arms to caress her cheek possessively. "You're just so beautiful. I still can't believe you're letting me do this."_

_"Because I have a choice." Anne spat bitterly._

_"You may not have a choice right now but I recall you not only allowing me, but encouraging me to touch you." He continued to stroke her cheek. "I wish you would believe me. I really do love you."_

_"But now you have to kill me."_

_"Yes." One word. _


End file.
